Using logic to change a racist’s mind is usually a losing proposition, because as author Jonathan Swift once said, “It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.”
It’s especially difficult to wake a racist from their hate-fueled trance because, according to psychologist Dr. Steve Taylor Ph.D., racism and xenophobia are defense mechanisms generated by deep-seated feelings of insecurity and anxiety.
Taylor believes that racism is a response to “a more general sense of insignificance, unease, or inadequacy.” So challenging a person’s sense of racist entitlement threatens their basic sense of self.
Changing a person’s mind is even more difficult considering what psychologists call the “backfire effect.” Studies show that when people are presented credible information that refutes their beliefs — especially in the political sphere — they double-down on their incorrect assumptions.
A recent post on Reddit proved that some racists are able to overcome their beliefs. Reddit user Quanris asked former racists “What made you change your mind?” and the responses showed powerful examples of how being exposed to other cultures can fundamentally alter one’s perspective.
Here are some of the best responses.
Reddit user Quanris says her mind was changed by education.
Reddit user Monday says it was going to college.
GoliathPrime changed their mind after realizing that racism doesn’t make sense.
A YouTube video changed SubSahranCamelRider’s entire world view.
Ripperxbox’s outlook was changed by the power of hip-hop.
Interestingly, no one’s worldview was changed by arguments or shame. They all seemed to change their minds after fostering close relationships with people who are different.
According to The Science of Equality, there are five tactics that can help people overcome their prejudices: presenting people with examples that break stereotypes, asking them to think about people of color as individuals rather than as a group, tasking them with taking on first-person perspectives of people of color, and increasing contact between people of different races.
Three years ago, our partners at Upworthy profiled Christian Picciolini, a man who helped build that white supremacist movement in Chicago, but eventually changed his views after coming into contact with a diverse clientele at his record store.
“I really received compassion and empathy from the people from that I least deserved it from,” he told Upworthy. “And that’s what changed me.”
Ever since he’s dedicated his life to helping people leave racist hate groups through Life After Hate.